Anonymous asked this question on 4/29/2000:

Could anyone give me as much information as possible on avoidant personality disorder and it's symptoms and treatment please? Thanks

avengingangel777 gave this response on 4/30/2000:

Avoidants feel inhibited, fearful, and may be extremely shy, that is when it comes to getting involved in a relationship. Despite their reluctance, they do desire to have close relationships. They may also have difficulty trusting others, as well as social awkwardness, low self esteem, and an exaggerated fear of rejection. They severely exaggerate and may miss out on life, because they are always sizing up potential risks. The DSM-III Criteria is:

A pervasive pattern of social discomfort, fear of negative evaluation, and timidity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by at least four of the following:

1. is easily hurt by criticism or disappproval. 2. has no close friends or confidantes (or only one) other than first degree relatives. 3. is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked. 4. avoids social or occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, for example refuses a promotion that will increase social demands. 5. is reticent in social situations because of a fear of saying something inappropriate or foolish, or of being unable to answer a question. 6. fears being embarrassed by blushing, crying, or showing signs of anxiety in front of other people. 7. exaggerated the potential difficulties, physical dangers, or risks involved in doing something ordinary but outside his or her usual routine, for example, may cancel social plans because he or she anticipates being exhausted by the effort of getting there.

avengingangel777 gave this follow-up answer on 4/30/2000:

As for treatment of people with this disorder, besides the anti-depressants and/or drugs, I believe that it is not an easy personality disorder to treat -- the avoidant seems to maintain his or her lifelong pattern of reclusiveness. There also tends to be anxiety involved in the disorder, which tends to affect all aspects of the avoidant's social/interpersonal life. I believe that the avoidant should continue with therapy for as long as possible, because the depression and anxiety, as well as any other phobias, can surface whenever a stressful situation comes up. I am not familiar with the exact therapies that are used for avoidants, but I'm sure they are akin to those used with depressed patients, who lack very much a sense of self-worth at their core. The avoidant often seems to dwell so much on the self to the point that it may become obsessive; by the same token, the narcissist, (another difficult to treat personality disorder), is also obsessed with the self, but in a different degree and thinks that everything in life has something to do with his or her signicance. The entire problem with avoidants is this issue of the self, and everything believed to be related to the self, which can almost seem narcissistic -- for the patient often goes through life as in an incubator. The avoidant avoids what he desires most, out of a fear of disapproval. S/he must first come to terms with this, realizing that his self-defeating attitudes are coming from within himself, and not from others.

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